From: gerald <gerald@evestamail.com>

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2000 13:31:26

To: WalterMartin@mail.serve.com

Subject: Re:Re: WM: Mark 16:15-18

Richardleeevange@aol.com wrote:

>Gerald,

>In Acts 28:3 we read that Paul was ACCIDENTALLY bitten by a viper, yet did not die. Obviously, the author viewed this as divine protection. Whoever wrote the last verses of Mark probably had all of the Acts miracles in mind, such as tongues, healings, signs, and serpents handling in this context. The poison drinking seems to be absent. However, I would not view these last verses of Mark as authoratative anyway, since most scholars agree that the Gospel ends at 16:8 as a cliffhanger, the tomb is empty, and the reader is left to fill in the details.

>Richard Lee

Gerald

Thanks for the reply, and the info about it not being considered as the part of the original text. I guess the reason I ask is that today, some people point to the three signs I mentioned as evidences as signs of believers today, but hardly ever mention the other two. It just seemed that if one takes this passage and uses it in reference to believer's today then all of the signs should follow in the same level of fulfillment. Maybe this is bad logic.

If as you mentioned the writer was just capturing what he saw, or heard about in that time, then how valid are they today?

Thanks,